Incandescent-electric-lamp leak-tester.



H u Q \N m n aw R mu k F b L Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

B. G. BRSKINE. INGANDBSCENT ELECTRIC LAMP LEAK TEST UPLIQATIQ]; FILED DEO.14, 1909. 1,014,287.

w H X FEE:

witness e0 Y B. G. ERSKINE. INOANDESGENT ELECTRIC LAMP LEAK TESTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.14, 1909.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

s SHEETSSHB'ET 2.

idLuMBIA PLANOORAPH)C0,,WASHINGION, D. c.

B G. ERSKINE. INOANDESGENT ELECTRIC LAMP LEAK TESTER. APPLICATION FILED DEG.14, 1909 Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

3 SHEET-SLSH'EET 3 v ammoz,

Emporium, in the county of porting stem an BERNARD G.

ERSKINE, OF EMPORIUM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO NOVELTY INCANDESCENT LAMP COMPANY, OF EMPOBIUIVI, PENNSYLVANIA, A COB/POR-Ar TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

INCANDESCENT-ELECTRIC-LAMP LEAK-TESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

Application filed Decemberi14, 1909. Serial No. 533,046.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD G. Ensxmn, a citizen of the United States,

Cameron and State of Pennsylvania, have 1nvented a new and useful Leak Tester, specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for testing incandescent electric lamps for leakage at the seal between the filament-supof which the following is a after the bulbs'pass avacuum."

to produce The invention has for its principal object 1 to provide an apparatus of this character which is so designed as to enable the testing operation to be carried on with maximum.

ease and despatch, with great efficiency and reliability, and without requiring any special skill on the part of the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a testing table having any desired number of manometers, one for each lamp to be tested and adapted hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lamptesting table. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken immediately below the top of the table.v Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse section of the apparatus. Fig. 4 a skeleton perspective view of one group of manometers or testing devices. Fig. 5

residing at:

tion with the suction pump. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the valve on line 6-6,

Incandescent Electric Lamp a perspective view of the d neck of the lamp bulb: through the sealing machine and before they are finally exhausted to be connected by a controlling valve with a suction pump to v the lamp is perfect, the being maintained at its original height if the seal is air-tight, or

' is an enlarged sectional view of the controlling valve for throwing the different groups of manometers into and out of communica- Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is valve plug removed. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional viewon line 8-8, Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the cut-off or pinch valve.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the table of the apparatus which may be of any approved construction to form a support for the various parts of the apparatus. The top 1 of the table consists of a horizontal plate from the rear edge of which rises a panel various manometers ignated generally by the present instance, manometers are employed so that while the lamps in Zone group are being tested, the operator can remove the tested lamps from the othergroup of manometers and insert or testing devices, des- B, are mounted. In

another charge to be in turn tested: Of

course, any number of manometers may be 'arrangedin the group and the principal advantage of using these two groups is to enable theoperator to test a greater number of or back plate 2 on which the two groups of five lamps than if only one group was employed.

Each manometer comprises a U -shaped glass tube composed of vertical legs 3 and 4 connectedtogether at their upper ends, the leg 4 being longer than the other to extend into a mercury-containing receptacle or cup 5,, there being one cup for each manometer. The cups are arranged in a horizontal rack 6 secured to the rear legs 7 and each cup is open at all times to the atmosphere. legs of each manometer extend through openings 8 in the table top and the legs 3 of each group are connected by flexible conduits 9 such as rubber hose to manifolds or headers 10 which, like the conduits 9, are disposed under the table top. As shown in Fig. 2,"the outer ends of the manifolds or headers 10 are closed by caps 11, while the inner ends are connected with a common controlling valve designated generally-by C which is manipulated to connect either Both respectively Each conduit 9 is provided with a1' :|:-co'u'p ling 11 to which is connected a short pipe l2 extending'upwardly through an opening 1-"3"i-n"-the tabletop and to the upper 'end' of which is secured a lamp holder 14 in the form of a tubular socket of rubber or other suitable material which'recei'vesthe tubulature of the lamp to be tested. These lamp;

receiving sockets 14' are arranged in a row extending longitudinally of the table top in front of the connected by the conduits 9. These sockets are connected with the suction pump by the controlling valve C, the air. will be exhausted from the lamps as well as from the; manometers.

manometers to which they are" provide an approximately air tight joint so that when the. man'ometersi The' bank. or group of 'man ometers and lamps are adapted to be cut out of communi-; cation with the suction pump when the air is eliminated from them as much as possible;:

so as to determine whether or ,not any of the lamps have a leaky seal. This is done; by a device designated generally by D in the'l nature of a pinch valve common to all the flexible conduits 9. As shown more clearly ofa bar 15 of such length 1 as .in Figs. 4 and 9, the pinch valve consist-s? to extend,

under and across all the conduits of one;

'groupso as to simultaneously compress or= pinch the conduits closed, the ends of the;

- through openings 18 conduits 9. The bar rod being guided in bearings 16 secured to; the bottom side'of the table top and the' rod beingmanipulated by a yoke or U- shaped member 17 spanning the rod adja-: cent its middle and passing upwardly;

in the table top where the upper ends of the members of the yoke; carry a .horizontal axle 19 on whiclr is rotatably mounted a cam 20 adapted to bear on a plate 21 secured to the table top andi through which the yoke 18 "passes. axle of the cam is eccentric thereto so Ihe that g as the cam is turned by its handle 22, the;

yoke will be drawn upwardly .so as to raise:

the pinch bar 15 for compressing all the:

15 cooperates with a% rod 23 of round cross section which eX-,

tends across the top of the conduit 9 im-;

mediately under the tabletop with its ends.

supported in the bearings ter pinching action can thus be seen that the cut out of communication with the pump to interrupt the suction in the 16, so that a bet-Z be obtained. It will manometers can be;

manometers and lamp without having to interfere with the running of the pump, which will therefore operate continuously, and furthermore, the pinch valve will hold the vacuum in the manometers of the desired period, to

pump and lamps for any determine whether or notany lamp is leaking; The cam devices forv the pinch valves .of the table top in front .of each group of are located .'OI 1 the'top face Inanorneters,

I any suitable the casing is open and has 27 provided with apertures 28 for receiving screws or other fastenings to secure the casing in place. rotary valve or plug 29which has a ground group of manometer-s.

;. Fig.- 1, and'assuming that while the controlling valve C is located between the cam devices adjacent the front of the table. i v

The controlling valve may be of any approved construction and is so designed as to connect either group of manometers with the pump whilesimultaneously establishing group with the communication of the other I atmosphere to thus bring one set of manometers into operation while the other set is "restored to normal condition. In the present instance, the controlling valve, consists of afrusto-conical hollow casing 24 which sets in an opening in theta-ble top and has its lower end provided-with a threaded opening 25 for connection with apipe 26 1 that leads to a suction pump arranged at point, and at diametrically opposite points, the headers 10 connected with the sides of the, casing. The upper .end of an annular flange In the casing is arranged a or working fit, and inthe smaller'end of the plug areseparate passages 30 and 31 which have their lower ends meeting in a common port 32 at'thebottom of the valve'to permanently register with the suction'pipeQG, and their upperv ends terminating in ports 33 and 34 arranged in the 'side of the valve at ninety degrees apart. .It will thusbe seen that a quarter turnof the valve will bring the suction pipe of the pump into communication with the header of either The valve, which projects out of the casing, has alaterallyextending handle 35 which is movable between upstanding stops 36 on the fiange'27 of the casing, so that the'valve can be moved within fixed limits to bring the passage 31 into communication with the left group of manomete'rs'or the passage 30 into communication with the right group. The valve 29 is provided with passages 37 and 38 which have their upper ends open to the atmosphere and their lower ends terminating in ports 39 and 40, respectively, disposed in the same plane withitheports 33 and 34 and angularly displaced ninety degrees apart so that one header'lO will be connected with the atmosphere whenever the other header is connected with the suction pump.

When theapparatus is not in use, the handle of the controlling valve will'be' disposed in a mid-position between the stops 36, which means that both groups of manometers will be cut off from the suction pump.

In using the apparatus, the lamps to be tested are arranged in the sockets 14 of either "group of manometers, as shown in the lamps have been placed in the right hand group, the operator turns the handle 35 of the controlling valve to the right so as to bring the port 33, Fig. 6, in communication with the right header 10. The manometers and lamps in the right group will thus be connected with the suction pump which exhausts the air therefrom and causes the mercury to rise in the legs 4 of the manometers. After the columns of mercury have risen to a point where they remain stationary, the pinch valve of the right'group of manometers is closed by turning the handle 22 downwardly so as to thus cut ofl communication with the pump. While the vacuum in each lamp of the right group of manometers is thus obtained, the operator places a'supply of lamps in the sockets 14: of the left group of manometers and by this time the operator can detect whether or not any of the first groups of lamps is leaking at the seal between the neck of the bulb and the filament-- supporting stem. If any lamp should leak, air would enter and cause the mercury to fall, as is indicated by the left manometer of the right hand group where the column of mercury is receding and lower than those of the other four manometers. The right pinch valve is now opened and the controlling valve handle turned to the left to connect'the left hand group of manometers and lamps with the suction pipe and simultaneously establish communication between the right hand group with the atmosphere, whereby the columns of mercury drop in the latter and rise in the former group of manometers. The tested lamps are removed and the leaky and perfect ones separated, while the lamps in the left hand group are being tested by closing the pinch valve thereof. It will thus be seen that the groups of manometers are alternately used for testing successive lots of lamps without any loss of time on the part of the operator and as fast as she can carry on the process.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best em bodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a manometer, a flexible conduit connected to the manometer, means of a pair of relatively for connecting a lamp to be tested with the conduit, a valve for connecting the conduit with the atmosphere or with a suction pump in accordance with the position of the valve, and means on the lamp side of said valve for closing the conduit to test the lamp by the manometer.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a manometer including an inverted U-shaped tube having legs of different lengths, a liquid-containing cup in which the open end of the longer leg is immersed, a conduit connected with the open end of the shorter leg, a flexible socket in the conduit for receiving the lamp to be tested, a controlling valve for connecting the conduit with the atmosphere or with the suction pump, and a pinch valve located between the-said socket and controlling valve to close the said conduit.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a manometer, a flexible tube connected therewith, a T-coupling connected with the tube, an elastic socket connected with the coupling to receive the tubulature of the lamp to be tested, a controlling valve connected with the conduit for establishing communication between the same and a suction pump, and a pinch valve disposed between the socket and controlling valve and including manually operating means.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a manometer, a conduit connected therewith and including a flexible part, a holder connected with the manometer through the conduit for receiving the lamp to be tested, a controlling valve for connecting the conduit wi -h a suction pump, and a pinch valve for closing the flexible part of the conduit, said pinch valve consisting movable members the conduit at opposite disposed to engage for drawing the mempoints, and a device bers together for compressing the conduit.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a group of manometers, flexible conduits individual to the manometers, means for connecting lamps to be tested with the manometers through the flexible conduits, each lamp being individual to the respective manometer, a controlling valve common to all the conduits for connecting them either to a suction pump or with the atmosphere, and a pinch valve common to all the conduits for simultaneously interrupting communication between the suction ump and both the manometers of the group and the lamps connected to said manometers. I v

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a group of manometers, means individual to the manometers for connecting lamp bulbs thereto, each manometer .having a visible indicating portion in reading relav t-ion to a lamp means 'for simultaneously establishing a individual to the manometer,

vacuum Condition in all the lamps and manometers, and a cut off common to all the lamps and manometers for simultaneously cutting off communication between the vacuum producing means and said lamps and manometers and between each connected lamp and manometer and every other connected lamp and manometer to maintain a testing vacuum individual to each manometer and the lamp connected thereto.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of independent manometers, conduits connected therewith, devices in the conduits for receiving the lamps to be tested, means for connecting the conduits with a suction pump, the portions of the conduits between the said means and devices being flexible, and a single device forming a pinch valve for the flexible portion of each conduit to simultaneously disconnect the manometers from the said means.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of separate manometers each including an inverted U- shaped tube having members of different lengths and a liquid-containing cup in which the open end of the tube of greater length is immersed, conduits connected with the shorter members, lamp holders connected with the conduits for receiving the lamps to be tested, a header connected with the conduits, a valve for connecting the header with a suction device, and means between the lamp holder and header for closing the conduits after the manometers and lamps have been connected by the said valve to the suction device.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of separate manometers, means for connecting therewith the lamps to be tested, flexible suction conduits connected with the said means and extending substantially parallel with each other, means for connecting the conduits with a suction device, and a common pinch valve for the conduits consisting of a member engaging the latter, and means for operating the member. I 10. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of manometers, flexible conduits connected there with, a header connected with the conduits,

'lamp holders connected with the conduits,

a valve for connecting the header with a suction device or with the atmosphere, and means for closing the conduits, said closing means consisting of a bar engaging all the conduits, and means for moving the bar to compress the conduits.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a group of manometers,

means for connecting lamps therewith, each lamp being individual to a respective manometer, flexible conduits each connected with an associated manometer and lamp and .constituting the air connection between the manometer and lamp, a controlling valve common to all the conduits for connecting them with a suction device, and means for simultaneously closing the conduits consisting of relatively movable bars disposed on opposite sides of and extending across the conduits, and means for drawing the bars together.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of groups of manometers, means individual to each manometer for connecting a lamp thereto, a single valve for connecting the groups of manometers alternately with a suction device, and means for cutting off communication between the suction device and each group of manometers and associated lamps independently of the said valve. I

13. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of separate groups of manometers, means individual to each manometer for connecting a lamp to be tested thereto, means for simultaneously establishing a vacuum in the manometers of a group and the lamps associated therewith at will, and means for simultaneously cutting oft communication between the said means for establishing a vacuum and the group of manometers connected therewith, and establishing communication between said vacuum producing means and another group of manometers.

' 14. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of separate manometers, means for simultaneously connecting one manometer with a suction device and connecting another manometerto the atmosphere, means individual to each manometer for connecting a lamp to be tested thereto and a cut oil for each manometer and lamp connected thereto for holding the same against the action of either the atmosphere or the suction means during a time period of testing for leaks.

In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of separate manometers, means individual to each manometer for connecting a lamp to be tested therewith, means for producing a vacuum in one manometer and simultaneously opening the other manometer to the atmosphere, and means for holding a vacuum in each manometer independently of the vacuum producing means.

16. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of separate manometers, means for connecting therewith the lamps to be tested, flexible suction conduits connected with the said means, a controlling valve common to all the conduits for consuction pump,

necting one conduit with a suction pump and the other with the atmosphere, and separate pinch valves for closing the conduits to hold a vacuum in either manometer during the manipulation of the controlling valve.

17. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of separate groups of manometers, means for connecting with each manometer a lamp to be tested, flexible conduits, a valve common to all the conduits for connecting the conduits of one group of manometers with a suction pump while connecting the conduits of the other group with the atmosphere, and a device common to the conduits of each group for cutting ofi communication between the same and suction pump.

18. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a supporting table, a plurality of manometers thereon, suction conduits one for each manometer and disposed under the table, sockets connected with the conduits and disposed above the table for receiving the lamps to be tested, devices under the table for closing the-conduits each with reference to the other, operating means located above the table and connected with the devices, and means for connecting the conduits with a suction pump.

19. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a table, separate groups of manometers mounted thereon, conduits connected with the manometers and disposed under the table, a common valve on the table to which the conduits are connected for establishing communication between either group of manometers and a separate pinch valves under the table and common to the conduits of each group of manometers, and operating means connected with the devices and located above the table.

20. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination of a supporting structure consisting of a top plate and a back plate extending above the same, separate groups of manometers disposed in front of the back plate and projecting from a point above to a point below the top plate, liquid-containing cups mounted on the structure under the top plate thereof and into which the manometers extend, flexible conduits connected with the manometers and disposed under the top plate, flexible sockets connected with the conduits and located above the top plate for receiving the lamps to be tested, headers connected with the conduits, a valve connected with the headers for establishing communication between either of the latter and a suction pump or with the atmosphere, said valve being mounted in the top plate and having operating means, separate devices disposed under the top plate for pinching the conduits of each group closed, and operating means for the devices located above the top plate and connected through the latter with the devices. 21. In an apparatus-of the class described, the combination of a manometer having legs of different lengths, a liquid containing cup in which the open end of the longer leg is immersed, a conduit connected with the open end of the shorter leg, a socket for receiving the lamp to be tested branched off from said conduit, a controlling valvefdr connecting the conduit with suction pump, and a conduit closing means located between said socket and the controlling valve.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BERNARD G. ERSKINE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained-for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

the atmosphere or with a 

